Don’t heel to this prehistoric footwear law

When oh when Britain will your prehistoric (and quite frankly insulting) laws become a thing of the past?

The last time I checked, which was like literally 5 minutes ago, there is no legal obligation for a man to wear cuff links to the office. You want to? Cool, go ahead. You don’t? Well you know what? That is perfectly acceptable too because two pieces of shiny metal – no matter how fancy or expensive – are not going to affect the way you perform in your work place.

And yet, for some reason – in the 21st century – it is still deemed okay by parliament for women to be obliged to wear high heels in the work place. Clearly, this policy is not one that is taken on by many companies nowadays; it is unfair and a cross in a box in a world fighting for equality.

This law as it currently stands, allows employers to have a designated dress code; which staff, if found to be neglecting said dress codes, can be dismissed from their job roles. Not only that, the law also states that a man’s dress code can be different to a women’s, so long as there’s an ‘equivalent level of smartness.’

Last week, receptionist Nicola Thorp was sent home after she turned up in flats, not realising she wasn’t adhering to the 2″-4″ heel policy. She tried to explain how impossible it would be for her to complete her duties in heels because it would become physically painful to be in heels all day. The company responded that she had already signed the appearance guidelines and sent her away without pay.

Now the question is, is the heels policy really equivalent to men having to wear smart shoes? Statistics show that heels can damage your body over time, and if you’re working for an average of 50 years, 5 days a week, the potential damage to the body is unthinkable. There are no statistics show any signs of men’s smart shoes being detrimental to their health. Women should have the choice to wear what makes them feel comfortable and able to complete their job to the best standard they can. If that’s heels, then that is perfectly fine but no woman should be at risk of losing their job over something on their feet instead of what’s in their brain.